Dentsu Inc. has secured the Olympic broadcast rights in 17 countries across Asia for the Nanjing 2014 Summer Youth Olympics, shop Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics and Rio 2016 Summer Olympics after a new deal with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Dentsu has acquired exclusive gatekeeper broadcaster rights (all languages; all media platforms) for the three editions of the Games in Afghanistan; Brunei; Cambodia; Chinese Taipei; East Timor; Hong Kong, case China; Indonesia; Iran; Laos; Malaysia; Mongolia; Myanmar; Papua New Guinea; Philippines; Singapore: Thailand and Vietnam.

Dentsu will now seek broadcast partners on all platforms within the 17 territories, with an obligation to the IOC to ensure that the largest possible audience has access to broadcast of the Olympic Games. Earlier this month, the IOC awarded Dentsu the broadcast rights in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. 

IOC President Jacques Rogge said: “An organisation with a long-standing commitment to the Olympic Movement, Dentsu has a proven track record in broadcast rights sales in Asia; and the agreement ensures comprehensive coverage of the 2014 and 2016 Olympic Games, as well as the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, across Asia.”

“We are delighted to have secured a strong partner in Dentsu in order to negotiate broadcast arrangements for these editions of the Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games in 17 important markets,” said IOC Executive Board member Richard Carrión, who led the negotiations. “We are confident that Olympic fans in these countries will be more than satisfied with the quality and quantity of the coverage provided.”

Dentsu Inc. Executive Officer Kiyoshi Nakamura said: “We are honoured to sign the agreement with the IOC for the broadcast and exhibition rights in 17 Asian territories for the Olympic Games in Sochi and Rio de Janeiro, and the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China. Together with the five Central Asian territories that have been awarded to Dentsu, we are committed to contributing to the development of the Olympic Movement in Asia by distributing media rights in a total of 22 Asian territories.”

Reebok International Ltd. said Thursday it has reorganized its senior management and eliminated the position of global president.

Uli Becker, denture who was named in 2008 to oversee Reebok’s business around the world, medicine is now president of Reebok North America. The Canton maker of athletic shoes is following the structure of its German parent company, mind Adidas, and there is no longer a global president for either brand, said Dan Sarro, a Reebok spokesman.

Reebok’s chief marketing officer, Matt O’Toole, now reports to Erich Stamminger, the Adidas Group board member based in Germany who is responsible for the global brands. Adidas disclosed its reshuffling earlier this year.

The management change at Reebok follows months of disappointing earnings at the Canton company.

Additional details on the restructuring will be disclosed at an Adidas Group investor conference in California that starts Sept. 20.

Chris King has been named the commercial director for Agon, pharmacy the commercial venture that acquired the rights to the World Chess Championships.

Agon, prescription led by founder and CEO Andrew Paulson, has tasked King with leading the negotiations with a number of partners to sponsor and distribute the next World Chess Championships Cycle, which starts in London next March.

King has brought experience from his ongoing board advisory role at Sports Recruitment International, which he co-founded 11 years ago, as well as his global network of relationships from across the world.

King commented: “I am enormously excited to work with Andrew and his focused team to help establish World Chess as a commercial proposition that can and should be in the same commercial league as poker and golf, for example.”

Michael Squires, chairman of Sports Recruitment Group, added: “Chris has put a tremendous amount of hard work into building Sports Recruitment International and will continue to remain as a key advisor to the firm and to work with some key clients. We wish him every success with this exciting new opportunity.”

Discussions are already underway between Agon and potential marketing partners in the technology, media, industrial and financial sectors for sponsorship of the World Chess Championships.

Soccerex have announced the Conference Concept for this year’s Soccerex Global Convention in Rio de Janeiro, medical 24-28 November 2012.

Spread over two designated studios, the conference will bring together the biggest names in football business to tackle the industry’s most important issues. Topics on the agenda in Studio 1 include goal line technology, Olympic/World Cup legacy, the future of sports rights, third party ownership and transfers, player development and the power of image in sport.

In Studio 2, there will be a series of targeted workshops and presentations looking at topics like fan engagement from a digital and physical perspective, the latest stadia developments and the requirements of World Cup base camp cities. There will also be a special debate featuring all the Brazilian host cities for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Speakers for this agenda setting conference will be announced over the coming months on the Soccerex website but as with all Soccerex events, the line-up will be sprinkled with stars and already confirmed for 2012 are football legends, Sir Bobby Charlton and Carlos Alberto Torres.

The Soccerex Global Convention 2012 will once again kick off with a two day football festival on Copacabana beach, featuring local entertainment, youth talent and an international legends tournament featuring former players from Brazil, Colombia, England, Holland, France, Argentina and Portugal. The Conference kicks off on Monday 26^th November where Brazilian Minister of Sport, Aldo Rebelo will be among the dignitaries in the opening ceremony. A packed international exhibition and a programme of networking and social events complete the schedule for what is widely acknowledged as the world’s leading football business event.

Aberdeen chairman Stewart Milne plans to adopt a new share scheme which he hopes will wipe off almost £6million off the club’s debt.

The proposal would see £3.7m due to Milne and £2.25m owed to Aberdeen Asset Management turned into shares, cutting the Dons’ debt to £10.82m.

Shareholders will next month be asked to vote on the matter at the club’s Annual General Meeting, which is to be held on December 19.

“Over the past few years the major shareholders have invested substantially in the club, with interest free loans now standing at £5.75million in aggregate,” Milne said in a statement on the club’s official website.

“Part of this amount has been used to finance the development costs of the new stadium and part to provide finance for the business.

“The major shareholders now wish to make this investment in the business permanent and to this end, and subject to shareholder approval, it is proposed to convert the loans over time into a new class of preference shares.

“After the ordinary business of this year’s Annual General Meeting has been concluded, the shareholders will be asked to vote on a special resolution which would create this new class of share.

“No new cash will come into the company as a result of this conversion but over time its financial position will be considerably improved by removing liabilities from its balance sheet totalling £5.75million and by the corresponding improvement in the ratio of its net assets to called up share capital.”

Aberdeen today announced their trading results for the year until June 30, 2012.

Turnover rose from £7.462m to £8.337m, while the operating loss fell from £589,000 to £334,000, chief executive Duncan Fraser reported.

The club are still investigating the prospect of a move from Pittodrie.

Milne added: “Preparations for the move to our new stadium at Loirston received a set-back when Aberdeen City Council rejected a request for an extension of time to conclude an agreement in relation to the Calder Park development and we continue to investigate options for Loirston and alternative sites with a number of interested parties and remain confident that a satisfactory solution will be found in due course.”

English fourth tier team, Cheltenham Town FC have confirmed the appointment of Tim Russon to the club’s board of directors.

Russon joins as commercial director and assumes responsibility for Town’s commercial and media activities including the website, matchday programme, retail sales, public relations and revenue generation.

Russon is a former vice-chairman of Hereford having resigned from his position at Edgar Street over the summer.

“I am thrilled and honoured to be joining the team at Cheltenham Town,” said Russon. “It’s a club I have always been close to and admired both on and off the pitch.

“What the Robins have achieved over the last few years is amazing and that’s down to the great team of people they have at the club. Like every other football club there are great challenges ahead and the future for the Robins looks very exciting.”

Chairman Paul Baker added: “I am really delighted that Tim is joining us and I am in no doubt that his appointment will significantly strengthen what is already a very strong, united and experienced board.”